Schilling’s Bid for 13th Win Is Foiled

Tony Batista hit a two-run homer and Gary Matthews Jr. had a two-run triple as the Baltimore Orioles spoiled Curt Schilling’s bid for his 13th victory with a 6-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night at Phoenix.

Schilling (12-3) has lost consecutive decisions for the first time in 31 regular-season starts since last July 8.

Schilling, who made his major league debut with Baltimore in 1988 and spent most of three seasons with the Orioles, gave up six runs and seven hits. He also threw a wild pitch that was crucial to Baltimore’s three-run sixth inning.

He struck out 10--his eighth double-digit game this season and the 71st of his career--and increased his major league-leading season total to 160.

But he was defeated for the second time since his career-best nine-game winning streak was ended in a 6-3 loss to Detroit last Friday.

San Francisco 8, Tampa Bay 0--Jason Schmidt struck out 11 batters in his first career shutout as the Giants defeated the Devil Rays at San Francisco without retaliating for the pitch thrown behind Barry Bonds a night earlier.

In his 164th career start, Schmidt (3-2) gave up five hits for his first shutout and his seventh career complete game. Among active pitchers, only Jason Bere (185 starts) has been waiting longer for his first shutout.

San Diego 3, Boston 2--Rookie Julius Matos doubled in the go-ahead run with one out in the seventh inning and Red Sox starter Frank Castillo was ejected a few moments later as the Padres won at San Diego.

Castillo appeared to bump third base umpire Bill Welke before he was restrained by teammates. Castillo (5-7) apparently was angry about being called for a balk just before giving up Matos’ double, which gave San Diego a 2-1 lead.

New York Yankees 20, Colorado 10--Robin Ventura and John Vander Wal each drove in four runs at Denver as the Yankees kept up their hitting barrage at Coors Field.

Ventura, Jason Giambi and Alfonso Soriano homered for the Yankees. New York now has 30 runs, 35 hits and six homers in two days at Denver.

Oakland 3, Pittsburgh 2--John Mabry’s single in the 10th inning at Pittsburgh drove in the Athletics’ first run since Miguel Tejada’s two-run homer in the first, and Oakland’s interleague record improved to 10-1.

New York Mets 4, Minnesota 2--Al Leiter pitched into the eighth inning and surprisingly had two hits for the Mets at New York. Leiter, one of the worst-hitting pitchers, went two for three with a key double to raise his career average to .095 and scored a run.

Texas 7, Chicago Cubs 4--Cub reliever Jeff Fassero threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded at Chicago to let in the go-ahead run for the Rangers, who won for the first time in extra innings.

Sammy Sosa hit his 26th homer for Chicago.

Atlanta 4, Detroit 1--Chipper Jones had two doubles and an RBI, breaking out of a 1-for-13 skid, and Julio Franco and Gary Sheffield hit consecutive homers in the eighth to lead the Braves at Atlanta.

Philadelphia 4, Chicago White Sox 3--Pinch-hitter Jason Michaels’ RBI single in the ninth inning led the Phillies to a comeback victory over the White Sox at Philadelphia.

Montreal 6, Kansas City 3--At Montreal, Tomo Ohka won his fourth consecutive decision as the Expos tied a season high with their sixth consecutive victory.